Definition
Personal data (Ro: date cu character personal, Fr: données à caractère personnel, Es: datos personales, It: dato personale, Gr: προσωπικά δεδομένα) (see also: pseudonymised data and anonymous data) refers to any information that is related to an identified or identifiable natural person. According to article 4(1) of the General Data Protection Regulation, an identifiable natural person is one who can be identified, directly or indirectly, in particular by reference to an identifier such as a name, an identification number, location data, an online identifier or to one or more factors specific to the physical, physiological, genetic, mental, economic, cultural or social identity of that natural person.
Pseudonymisation refers to the process of disguising identities, with the aim of collecting additional data related to the same person without having to know the identity of the data subject. Retraceable pseudonymised data refers to the information on individuals that are indirectly identifiable.
Anonymous data refers to the information relating to a data subject where the person cannot be identified by any other person or by the controller. Therefore, identification of the natural person whose data has been processed is no longer possible.
Examples of information that can be considered personal data:
- Name, surname
- Home address
- E-mail address such as This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it.
- Phone number
- Place and date of birth
- Social number or identification card number
- Work place, work conditions, including vacation days and income
- Financial information
- Hobbies
- Religion
- Sexual orientation
- Language
- Location data
- IP (Internet Protocol) address
- Cookie ID
- Health data – information held by a hospital or doctor regarding the health status of a natural person
Examples of information not considered personal data:
- Anonymised data
- A company registration number
- Email address such as This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it. or This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it..
Useful links:
Legislation
https://eur-lex.europa.eu/legal-content/EN/TXT/?uri=celex%3A32016R0679 – Regulation (EU) 679/2016 on the protection of natural persons with regard to the processing of personal data and on the free movement of such data and repealing Directive 95/46/EC (General Data Protection Regulation) [English]
https://eur-lex.europa.eu/legal-content/EN/TXT/?uri=CELEX:31995L0046 – Directive 95/46/EC of the European Parliament and of the Council on the protection of individuals with regard to the processing of personal data and on the free movement of such data, (no longer in force) [English]
https://www.dataprotection.ro/servlet/ViewDocument?id=35 – Legea nr. 677/2001 pentru protecția persoanelor cu privire la prelucrarea datelor cu caracter personal și libera circulație a acestor date / Law no. 677/2001 on the protection of individuals with regard to the processing of personal data and on the free movement of such data, (no longer in force) [Romanian]
Case law
https://eur-lex.europa.eu/legal-content/EN/TXT/?uri=CELEX%3A62012CJ0131 – The European Court of Justice, Judgement of 14 May 2014, Google Spain, C-131/12, EU:C:2014:317 [English]
https://eur-lex.europa.eu/legal-content/EN/TXT/?qid=1544996858587&uri=CELEX:62001CJ0101 - The European Court of Justice, Judgement of 6 November 2003, Lindqvist, C-101/01, EU:C:2003:596 [English]
https://eur-lex.europa.eu/legal-content/EN/TXT/?qid=1544996932323&uri=CELEX:62014CJ0362 - The European Court of Justice, Judgment of 6 October 2015, Schrems, C-362/14, EU:C:2015:650 [English]
http://curia.europa.eu/juris/document/document.jsf;jsessionid=77C44BBA9B10F390635CB25452BBB024 - The European Court of Justice, Judgement of 30 May 2013, Worten, C-342/12, EU:C:2013:355 [English]
http://curia.europa.eu/juris/document/document.jsf?text=&docid=76075&pageIndex=0&doclang=EN&mode=lst&dir=&occ=first&part=1&cid=13250826 - The European Court of Justice, Judgement of 16 December 2008, Tietosuojavaltuutettu, C-73/07, EU:C:2008:727 [English]
http://curia.europa.eu/juris/document/document.jsf?text=&docid=155114&pageIndex=0&doclang=EN&mode=lst&dir=&occ=first&part=1&cid=13251248 - The European Court of Justice, Judgement of 17 July 2014, YS v Minister voor Immigratie, C-141/12, EU:C:2014:2081 [English]
Publications
Ungureanu C.T., Personal data protection in international contracts, in Analele Stiintifice ale Universitatii „Alexandru Ioan Cuza” Iasi, Tomul LXIII, Stiinte Juridice, nr. II, 2017 [Romanian]
Zanfir G., Protectia datelor personale. Drepturile persoanei vizate, Ed. C.H.Beck, Bucuresti, 2015 [Romanian]
Sandru S., Protectia datelor personale si viata private, Ed. Hamangiu, Bucuresti, 2016 [Romanian]
Stoica V., Ce sunt datele cu character personal?, available here [Romanian]
Practical use
Article 29 Data Protection Working Party, Opinion 4/2007 on the concept of personal data, WP 136 [English]